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Southeast Lower Peninsula

Lake Erie: Walleye fishing was slow. However, some anglers found walleye in Brest Bay in 18 feet of water when targeting shallower areas. Anglers used crawler harnesses, with pink being the most productive color. Yellow perch fishing remained slow but showed signs of improvement. One angler targeting perch reported catching five keepers using minnows near the River Raisin. Smallmouth bass fishing was decent when using artificial lures in 10 to 20 feet of water. Many catfish were caught as bycatch by anglers targeting walleye. Shore fishing at the Sterling State Park lagoons remained good for a variety of species using a wide range of baits and lures, including largemouth bass.

Lower Saginaw Bay: Shore anglers caught and released channel catfish, freshwater drum, and smallmouth bass at Smiths Park while still fishing with worms.

Sebewaing, Quanicassee, Fish Point: The warm weather and high winds pushed walleye into deeper, cleaner water. Limits were uncommon, but anglers caught 7 to 8 walleye per boat while trolling nightcrawler harnesses in 23 to 26 feet of water near the Spark Plug.

Caseville: Walleye fishing was pretty good, with some limits of eater-sized fish in the 15 to 20-inch range caught while trolling off Oak Point in 35 feet of water. Anglers found success using both nightcrawler harnesses and body baits.

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Southwest Lower Peninsula

Muskegon: Boats reported decent catches of Chinook salmon, along with a few coho salmon and steelhead. The best depths ranged from the pierheads out to 80 feet of water. Green or blue glow spoons worked well, along with green flies. A few Chinook salmon were caught on glow plugs. Pier anglers caught a few freshwater drum while casting spoons or crankbaits.

Grand Haven: Anglers reported good catches of Chinook salmon in 30 to 90 feet of water. Green, blue, and white spoons were very productive. Pier anglers caught a few steelhead and Chinook salmon while casting spoons or using alewives.

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Northeast Lower Peninsula

Tawas/Au Gres: With the windy conditions over the weekend, fishing proved to be somewhat challenging. A few walleye were caught in 30 to 40 feet of water. Fish were caught on spoons, body baits, and crawler harnesses. In Au Gres, limits of walleye were caught by anglers fishing south of point Au Gres in 28 to 30 feet of water. Crawler harnesses were the most effective, but spoons and body baits were also productive. White bass, freshwater drum, catfish, and occasional yellow perch and northern pike were also caught.

Alpena: Walleye anglers reported that fish were scattered following recent winds. Anglers fishing from Sulfur to Scarecrow Island found success while trolling crawlers and crankbaits in 15 to 30 feet of water. Along the north shore, fish were caught in 18 to 30 feet of water. Trout and salmon anglers reported good catches of steelhead, lake trout, and a few Chinook salmon in 90 to 170 feet of water. While lake trout were found closer to the bottom, steelhead were caught in good numbers within the top 40 feet of the water column.

Thunder Bay River: Walleye, bass, freshwater drum, and catfish continued to be caught in good numbers. Trolling crawlers was productive for walleye while fishing near the bottom. Anglers drifting leeches caught freshwater drum and smallmouth bass near the 9th Street Bridge and Lamar Park. Those targeting catfish found success near the Holiday Inn while fishing nightcrawlers on the bottom.

Rockport: Anglers reported very good steelhead fishing in depths of 100 to 200 feet of water. The best results came from using bright-colored spoons fished within the top 30 feet of the water column. Lake trout fishing remained good in the same depths, with spoons and flasher/Spin-N-Glos combos working well near the bottom of the water column. A few Chinook salmon were caught while trolling the middle of the water column with blue, green, and white spoons. Walleye were reported to be scattered throughout all depths, with the best results coming from targeting the top 30 feet using natural-colored crankbaits.

Cheboygan: Lake trout fishing was outstanding on all of the major reefs—Poe Reef, Raynolds Reef, and Spectacle Reef—with anglers easily reaching their limits using spoons. As fish transitioned to greater depths due to warmer weather, anglers who adjusted accordingly continued to find consistent action.

In the lower Cheboygan River, anglers reported catches of walleye, smallmouth bass, rock bass, catfish, and freshwater drum. Walleye fishing pressure declined, as a slow bite limited most anglers to one walleye at most. The majority of walleye caught were undersized. Walleye boat anglers continued to drift hook-and-worm rigs, while shore anglers drifted jigs tipped with worms.

Freshwater drum were caught throughout the river while anglers drifted jigs tipped with worms, drifted nightcrawler harnesses, and bottom fished with drop-shot rigs.

Anglers found smallmouth bass throughout the Cheboygan River, from the Cheboygan Dam spillway to the State Street drawbridge, with additional catches reported in Duncan Bay. Anglers found success using a variety of techniques, including fishing with floating nightcrawlers and casting crankbaits, spinners, swimbaits, and tube jigs. Undersized northern pike were also caught in Duncan Bay while anglers used swimbaits.

Oscoda/Au Sable: Anglers fishing in 70 to 100 feet of water caught a fair amount of lake trout, with some nice steelhead and walleye mixed in higher in the water column. Additionally, occasional coho salmon and Atlantic salmon were also caught. Dark red and orange were good colors for spoons. A handful of walleye were caught in the lower river and mouth of the Au Sable River by anglers drifting crawlers along the bottom.

Harrisville: Anglers fishing in 70 to 90 feet of water found lake trout, with some larger lake trout caught deeper in 130 to 170 feet of water. Green, orange, and white Spin-N-Glos produced trout. Copper lines ranging from 50 to 150 feet with orange or green spoons produced some steelhead and the occasional Atlantic salmon. Anglers casting in the harbor caught a fair amount of northern pike while using spinnerbaits.

Rogers City: Anglers fished up the lake toward 40 Mile Point straight out from the harbor and south toward Adams Point. The best depths ranged from 55 to 120 feet of water. Anglers reported catching a mix of mostly lake trout, with occasional steelhead, coho salmon, walleye, and Chinook salmon. Lines were run throughout the water column.

Steelhead were caught higher in the water column using regular-sized or smaller spoons. Productive colors included orange and pink paired with silver, gold, or copper finishes. Lead cores ranging from 1 to 5 colors were effective. Other species were primarily caught on spoons, with some success reported using flashers and flies or meat rigs. Productive colors included greens, blues, chartreuse, white, and glow patterns, especially early and late in the day. Anglers trolled at faster speeds when targeting silver fish.

Presque Isle: There was more offshore fishing activity, with anglers heading out to 180 feet of water or deeper. Anglers found success targeting lake trout, steelhead, and coho salmon, with the occasional pink salmon also being caught. Regular-sized or smaller spoons were effective, with orange patterns producing well. Anglers reported success while trolling at faster speeds and looking for bug slicks.

Fishing also remained productive closer to shore in 55 to 100 feet of water. Anglers reported a mixed bag consisting mostly of lake trout, with occasional coho salmon and Chinook salmon. Lines were run throughout the water column, with spoons being the most effective presentation. Productive colors included greens, blues, UV, chartreuse, white, pearl, and glow patterns, especially early and late in the day. Anglers trolled at faster speeds when targeting silver fish. Good fishing locations included areas straight north between the two lighthouses and south toward Stoneport and False Presque Isle.

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Northwest Lower Peninsula

Manistee: Anglers targeting Chinook salmon found a few fish along the shelf in 80 to 115 feet of water while fishing the top 50 feet of the water column with spoons. The piers were slow.

Ludington: Chinook salmon were caught out from Pentwater in 75 to 90 feet of water, straight out from the pierheads in 50 to 180 feet of water, and around Big Sable Point in 50 to 180 feet of water. Fish were caught 25 to 50 feet down, with spoons being the most productive lure. A few steelhead were also caught. Pier anglers caught several freshwater drum and a couple of suckers while casting spoons, lures, and nightcrawlers. The salmon bite was slow from the piers.

Little Traverse Bay: Boat anglers trolling for salmon reported scattered fish throughout the bay. Anglers who found success, caught Chinook salmon on spoons while fishing in 40 to 70 feet of water over depths greater than 100 feet. Occasional bites on meat rigs were also reported. Anglers targeting lake trout found occasional fish near the bottom while trolling between Petoskey and Big Rock, as well as while fishing the “humps” west of Harbor Springs.

Leland: Boat anglers trolling for salmon reported a fair number of fish near North Manitou Island. The best fishing occurred in 250 to 325 feet of water, with the highest catch rates around 300 feet. Anglers noted that fish were biting but many did not hook up, resulting in numerous missed fish. Many anglers had to increase trolling speed.Those who successfully caught Chinook salmon reported that dipsy diver rods produced the best results. Productive bait included green and blue spoons, as well as both natural and artificial meat rigs.

Another productive area was between the docks on North Manitou Island. Several anglers reported good success starting their troll at the north end of the island and continuing north.Water temperatures remained in the mid-60s near the surface and dropped to approximately 45 degrees at a depth of 140 feet.

Frankfort/Lake Michigan: Winds proved to make angling tough, pushing Chinook salmon into deeper water. Anglers reported catches in 180 to 240 feet of water while working the top 120 feet of the water column. Spoons continued to produce the most bites, but meat rigs also produced Chinook salmon. Very good numbers of lake trout were reported in Platte Bay and Six Mile Hole by anglers targeting the bottom with cow bells and Spin-N-Glos.

Northport/Suttons Bay: Fishing effort increased as more boat anglers reported fair harvest rates for lake trout. Anglers targeted lake trout while jigging near Stoney Point, Omena Bay, and the surrounding waters off Northport. Small white and gold spoons produced the best results for anglers jigging. Anglers trolling reported catching salmon in the area and noted that they marked large schools of suspended fish throughout the water column.

Martiny Chain of Lakes: Fishing for panfish was great on all lakes, with multiple anglers catching limits bluegills from both the shore and boats. Pike fishing continued to be slow.

Tri Lakes: Fishing for bass and panfish was reported as good to great. Multiple anglers reported good bass fishing in the morning. Some anglers also caught limits of quality bluegills. A few pike were also reported by anglers targeting them.

Muskegon River: Walleye fishing was good during the late evening. Bluegills and rock bass were caught in good numbers below Rogers Dam.

Haymarsh: Fishing was very good from both kayaks and the shore. Anglers caught multiple panfish and bass, with most targeting the channels.

Newaygo: Smallmouth bass fishing on the Muskegon River was phenomenal. Trout fishing was slow but will hopefully pick back up in the coming weeks.

Oceana: Lake Michigan fishing was great, with many anglers catching limits of Chinook salmon from Whitehall north to the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. Anglers caught a mixed bag of Chinook salmon, steelhead, coho salmon, and brown trout. A drop in water temperature brought Chinook salmon into shallower water.

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Upper Peninsula

Little Bay de Noc: Yellow perch anglers reported catching some fish near the Escanaba Harbor and the mouth of the Escanaba River. Perch fishing in the head of the bay was slow, and anglers targeting walleye had limited success. Walleye fishing was slow, with anglers trolling crawler harnesses with bottom bouncers. Walleye anglers targeted deeper water along the bottoms of drop-offs. Some anglers reported catching eater-sized walleye near weed beds. Smallmouth bass anglers targeted rocky areas near steep drop-offs or flats adjacent to deep water.

Munising: Boating anglers trolling and jigging picked up a few lake trout around Grand Island and Wood Island. Anglers reported a slow bite for splake off the Anna River mouth.

Keweenaw Bay/Huron Bay: Anglers reported fair to poor fishing for coho salmon and lake trout while trolling. Anglers used spoons and flasher/flies while trolling, but had limited success, reporting slower fishing compared to previous weeks. Anglers reported a slow to fair bite while jigging for lake trout, with most fish caught on natural presentations in waters ranging from 150 to 200 feet.

Traverse Bay/Portage Entry: Anglers trolling near structure in 60 to 100 feet of water reported good numbers of lake trout and a few coho salmon while using spoons and flasher/flies. Anglers also reported catches of smaller Chinook salmon in low numbers. Anglers jigging for lake trout reported a poor to fair bite when using natural and artificial baits, with a few fish being caught between 140 and 180 feet of water.

Ontonagon River: Angling efforts on the river remained fair over the past week. Anglers reported catching walleye in fair to good numbers. Both trolling and jigging proved to be successful methods for finding these fish. However, some anglers showed a preference for jigging. Shore anglers reported catching walleye and rock bass in low to fair numbers. Occasional catches of lake sturgeon were also reported.

Ontonagon/Silver City/Union Bay: Angling efforts from Ontonagon were low. Efforts from the Silver City and Union Bay access sites were even lower by comparison. Recent angler reports included catches of lake trout in low to fair numbers, along with less frequent catches of coho salmon. Trolling continued to be the preferred fishing method for boat anglers. Anglers reported catches occurring across depths ranging from 40 to 180 feet of water.

Black River Harbor: Angling efforts from the harbor were low over the past week. Anglers reported catching lake trout in low numbers. Trolling continued to be the preferred method for targeting these fish. Boat anglers had the best success while trolling across a variety of depths ranging from 40 to 180 feet of water. Shore anglers reported occasional catches of smallmouth bass and northern pike within the harbor boundaries.

St. Ignace: At the Pine River, anglers reported catches of walleye, perch, and bullheads throughout the week. The perch bite was excellent early in the week, with anglers finding success while drifting nightcrawlers near the M-134 overpass bridge and at the mouth of the river. As the week progressed, walleye catch rates declined, with anglers reporting fewer consistent bites. Many of the walleye caught were undersized and were released, though occasional anglers were able to harvest up to three walleye. Most anglers, however, were unable to catch any keeper-sized walleye.

Grand Marais: Boat anglers did very well targeting lake trout while trolling and jigging. A few reports of coho salmon being caught while trolling were also received. Fishing pressure off the break wall remained low.

Les Cheneaux Islands/DeTour: Anglers in DeTour caught good numbers of cisco around Fairbank and Trout Island. If mayflies were in the area, the fish remained in the area as well, although they were often on the move. A walleye tournament was scheduled for Thursday and Friday, anglers pre-fished for it but had little success due to the high winds and ongoing mayfly hatches. There were reports of salmon being caught while trolling around the lighthouse, as well as lake trout caught while trolling through the flats.

In Hessel, anglers caught perch off the pier, having to sort through many small fish to find keepers. There were good numbers of bass caught around Mackinaw Bay and the Echo Islands.

Manistique: Chinook salmon anglers reported fair fishing. Trolling spoons and flasher/fly combos at depths of 50 to 90 feet of water was productive. Glow lures were commonly used during low-light periods of the day. Rainbow trout and a few lake trout were also reported.

Marquette: Lake trout anglers fished deeper than usual. Most anglers trolled north of White Rocks toward the area north of Granite Rock in 120 to 220 feet of water or jigged structure around White Rocks and the surrounding islands in about 140 feet of water.

Anglers began heading back out to Sand River and Shot Point, where they experienced fair success catching lake trout and brown trout in around 70 feet of water. The fish caught this week were holding deeper in the water column, unlike the previous two weeks when many fish were caught closer to the surface and were full of bugs.

Au Train: Fishing in Au Train remained slow this week, only one angler was observed on the water due to the smoke and poor weather. However, he fished three times and caught his limit of lake trout on all three trips, along with a few coho salmon. He had to move to different locations each day to find fish. The lake trout appeared to be holding shallower compared to the previous three weeks, in 120 to 180 feet of water.

Most fish were holding near the bottom this week and were full of ciscoes, unlike last week when they were suspended in the water column feeding on bugs. Fishing effort remained very light.

Lake Independence/Big Bay: Fishing activity increased with most anglers targeting yellow perch. Anglers had the most success in 10 to 15 feet of water using natural bait.

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Fishing tip: Using a float while fishing

Floats can be a useful tool for anglers looking to find bigger fish while also producing a relaxing fishing opportunity while sitting back and letting the gear work its magic.

Using a float, such as a traditional bobber, classic teardrop or oval-shaped option, will allow fish to have time to check out your bait up close and decide if they want to take a bite.

Anglers will also need to decide between using a spring-type fixed bobber or a slip bobber. A slip bobber offers you more flexibility because it can move up and down the line — depending on where you put a stopper.

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